Fab 4 picks
Cue the Sweathogs, “Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back.”
Side question for the older crew: If you had to bet on any person from the “Welcome Back Kotter” crew to be a bona fide Hollywood superstar, was it that clear that John Travolta was going to be him? Discuss.
Side question on the side question: Have we done a Rushmore of true Hollywood superduper stars who started on TV sitcoms? There may be too many to dial it down. George Clooney started on “Facts of Life.” Robin Williams started on “Mork & Mindy.” There’s Travolta. Bruce Willis started on “Moonlighting.” Leo DiCaprio’s first gig was on “Growing Pains.” Michael J. Fox was every bit as good as Alex P. Keaton as he was as Marty McFly. Who am I missing? Yikes, this one could be tough when there was a time that the two funniest movie actors in Hollywood — Eddie Murphy and Jim Carrey — started on TV, too. And that’s not even talking about the Disney kids like Ryan Gosling.
Where were we?
Ah yes, the Fab 4, and our return to gambling regularity around these parts.
Before we get to the Fab 4 picks, I want to make sure everyone knows that I make a ton of picks on podcasts and even around here. I have more than a few opinions, if you can imagine.
The Fab 4 are my best guesses each Thursday on the games I like in college football each week.
And know this: These are not the games I listed Wednesday of the matchups I am most excited about watching.
These are the games that I want to cash checks on. And in most cases, we have won more than we have lost.
So let’s cash some checks.
We hit better than 59% in 2023 and after a slow start got north of 56% in 2024.
Actual Fab 4 picks
Let’s make like Lester Haynes back in the day and get some picks.
› Buffalo plus-18 at Minnesota. Emmett Fitz-Hume famously said, “I was told there would be no math” in the underrated “Spies Like Us.” The numbers don’t add up here. Two sneaky stout defenses lead us to a game total in the low 40s, yet Buffalo is still catching more than two scores.
› Georgia Tech minus-4 at Colorado. The Buffs are dealing with Coach Prime’s health scares, a rebuilt roster that lost its program’s cornerstones and Ralphie the mascot’s retirement because he’s indifferent to running. Yes, you read that correctly. I’m indifferent to running, too. War Ralphie. Plus, Tech has the Haynes brothers. I love Haynes King, the Tech QB1, who is a true dual threat and is 100% healthy now. I love Tech RB1 Jamal Haynes, who is a load to tackle. And Tech HC Brent Key is really good at his job.
› Texas plus-2.5 at THE Ohio State. I think Arch Manning is going to be great. Not as great as Paul Finebaum clearly, but very good. Moreover, Texas may have the best defense in the country and one of the two or three best RB rooms in America. So even if Arch is just good — not good for a Manning, but simply good for a mortal — that will be plenty.
› Alabama minus-13.5 at Florida State. I know, I’m backing some road warriors in this opening weekend, but FSU’s fiesta running QB1 better be Speedy Gonzalez quick, or he’ll be moaning “Andale! Andale!” under a mass pile of Alabama defenders. I think Bama is a title contender, friends.
› South Carolina minus-7.5 over Virginia Tech. I’m high on LaNorris Sellers, the USC QB1. But this pick is as much against Virginia Tech as anything.
Good luck.
General Bradley
So the captain left a deserving Ryder Cup candidate off the U.S. squad.
It’s happened before. It will happen again. It’s the nature of the process.
But this one was different because Capt. Keegan Bradley eschewed player Keegan Bradley when announcing his six captain’s selections to round out the 12-player U.S. crew that will battle those dirty Euros next month at Bethpage Black.
And I think it’s the smart call. And the safer call.
Look, everyone who has been asked with experience in those roles — as players, as vice captains or as captains — have universally said being a player/captain is an impossible and untenable situation.
And that makes sense.
The conversation could be had that Bradley adding Bradley (he was 11th in the rankings and finished T7 at East Lake) would have made the roster a tad stronger and his playing presence would have added another awesome storyline to an already juicy Ryder Cup matchup.
The questions — and the scrutiny about roster moves and decisions — would have hurt the U.S. team and its chances.
And if Bradley is half as good a Ryder Cup leader as he has been at hiding his hold cards over the last months about this decision — he said Wednesday he made his mind up about his place in the Ryder Cup “months ago” — then the U.S. is going to go all Siege of Yorktown next month.
This and that
› Remember the 5-at-10 event at AT&T a week from tonight. Sign up here if you are interested.
› How was your Wednesday? Were you just OK, or was it a Shohei Day? Look, I am a fanboy of the Dodgers’ unicorn, but how about this line for L.A.’s pitcher/DH Wednesday night: 5 innings, two hits allowed, 9 Ks, and a 1-for-5 night at the plate with a run scored? These are Little League stats at the highest levels, folks.
› Rules, friends. College football is the time our pal David Paschall shines the most. And he offers his weekly picks column each Thursday in our local newspaper.
› So Dawn Staley, the national champion women’s hoops coach at South Carolina, said this week she interviewed for the New York Knicks head coaching gig and that she would likely have accepted the job if offered.
Today’s questions
So, it’s the AGT — Anything Goes Thursday — and there is no shortage of topics.
We’ll start here:
› Did Keegan Bradley the captain make the right call to leave Keegan Bradley the golfer off the Ryder Cup roster?
We’ll follow that here:
› Would Dawn Staley be a good NBA coach? If not Dawn Staley, then is there a female who could command an NBA locker room? An NFL locker room?
And we’ll go to this:
› Should Taylor Swift (net worth $850 million) have Travis Kelce ($70 million) sign a prenup?
Answer the AGTs, ask some AGTs.
As for today, Aug. 28, let’s review:
› On this day in 1963, MLK Jr. delivered his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech.
› Shania Twain is 60 today.
› Ron Guidry is 74 today. He was known as “Louisiana Lightning.”
Best sports nicknames with a U.S. state in them.
Go, and remember the mailbag.